Yep, W.E. does say to close up the fermenting wine. I guess they have had more problems with wine makers oxidizing their wine, so they choose to risk a stuck, incomplete fermentation over the risk of oxidation. However, a white wine is more susceptible to oxidation than a red, so locking it down will not be as bad as it would be for a heavy red, especially one with a grape or raisin pack.
WE instructions also say to lock down the reds, as well.
Close it down .vs. give it some air!!! This is a battle no one can ever win! Home wine makers do it both ways with good, consistent success.
If I were WE, I think I would just do a better job of explaining the process, so oxidation would not be such an issue.
I can't help but believe that even though the fermentation completes, a locked down fermentation will always leave something lacking in the wine, even though maybe most of us would never be able to tell the difference. There is more going on in a fermentation than just converting sugars to CO2 and alcohol.
This is one of those occasions where it pains me to tell someone to go by the instructions, but, here goes -
"Until you become experienced and really understand the process, always go by the instructions. If you deviate and the wine does not turn out, the kit manufacturer won't have to honor their warranty on the kit."
